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Upstream Focus is Sourcing Journal’s series of conversations with suppliers, associations and sourcing professionals to get their insights on the state of sourcing, innovations in manufacturing and how to improve operations. In this Q&A, Afham Ali, director of Sri Lanka-based apparel manufacturer Brandix Apparel Limited, explains how Covid has helped advance the company’s digital collaboration and how its choice for strategic rather than transactional relationships has made a difference during the pandemic.
Name: Afham Ali
Title: director
Company: Brandix Apparel Limited
What’s the number one question you get from your clients now that was never really a consideration before?
We are most often asked, “Are we seeing stability improving in our chosen manufacturing locations on account of the Covid-19 crisis?“
Which processes have you put in place due to Covid that you’d like to see continue even after the health crisis is behind us?
Maintaining heightened awareness on the importance of personal health and hygiene. As we are in a labor-intensive environment, this is a critical strength when handled effectively. It helps set our locations apart and ahead of competing countries and companies.
Advances made in digitization of work and embracing the notion of working from home. The circumstances posed by the pandemic paved way to eliminate duplication and improve clarity in work. We now have the advantage of saving time that was earlier spent on conveyance.
Continuously questioning and reviewing what truly adds value in our business, with a quest to weed out any non-value additions in the process.
How are you evaluating potential brand and retail partners differently now compared to before the pandemic?
As an organization, we inculcated the importance of strategic partnerships over transactional relationships...